Fire-cracker.



No. 651,068. Patented June 5, mom

I c. L. cums. I I

FIRE CRAG'KEB.

A uwumi filed Jan. 27, 1898.)

WITNESS J IMENT09 17 02m? zf z By ilin/v5? Nita STATES CHARLES L. cURTIs, on NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE NORDLINGER-OHARLTON FIREWORKS COMPANY, on

SAME PLACE.

FIRE-CRACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,068, dated June 5, 1900.

Application filed January 27, 1898. Serial No. 668,106. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, OHARLns L. Gimme, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, (Brooklyn,) in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Crackers and the Like, (Case A,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements in the construction of the body portion of fire-crackers and analogous fireworks or detonatin g devices, to the end that the same may be made cheaply and expeditiously, the constructions hereinafter explained allowing of their manufacture, at least in part, by a machine operating continuously, whereby new and useful results may be produced.

The principal features of my invention con-.

sist in forming the body portion ofthe the cracker in one or several superimposed spiral coils of paper or other readily-ru ptu red fibrous material either with or without a core,within which body the charge and stem for the fire- 2 5 cracker are to be contained, and in the formation of the choke for retaining the charge and stem and concentrating the explosion.

The invention further consists in the novel details of improvements that will'be more Y fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed Figure l is a side elevation illustrating my gsimproved fire-cracker body or shell partly completed having a'double winding and a single core for the body. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a like partly-completed body with a double core. Fig. 3 is a view corre- 0 sponding to Fig. 1, showing a single winding for the body and a single core. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a double core. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 without an interior core. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of 5 the fire-cracker body or shell complete, and Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the completed fire-cracker made in accordance with my invention and built up from the body shown in Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a flat strip of materialsuch, for instance, as paper-inflammable or otherwise and of greater width than depth and which is wound in spiral form with comparativelyeasy pitch and in suchmanner that its edges abut, but do not overlap, thereby forming an inner tube 2.

\Vherever in this specification I use the term paper I wish it to be understood as meaning any suitable material that may be used for the purpose of forming the firecracker body.

The strip 1 is wound on a suitable core to support it during the manufacture of the body, and in some cases I utilize the core on which the strip may be wound to form a portion of the fire-cracker body.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the strip 1 is shown in spiral form, with its edges 2 abutting and surrounding a core 3. The core 3 is shown in the form of a tube which is formed like a cylinder, with its longitudinal edges-4 alined and preferablyabutting, but not overlapping. At 5 is another strip of'paper which is wound over the coil 1 in spiral form, with its edges 6 abutting but reverse with relation to the winding of coil l-that is to say, the strip 1 is wound in one direction and the strip 5 in the reverse direction with substantially the same pitch, so that the strip 5 overlies the joints 2' of the tube 2, this latter winding forming an exterior tube 7.

At 8 is a thin strip of paper which is wound around the outer tube 7 to form an exterior finish to the body and also disposed in spiral form at practically-equalpitch, preferably of fancifully-colored material, and in such manner as to break joints with the joints of tube 7. This strip 8 is the exterior covering of the body and is preferably of red color to correspond to the regular color given to ordinary fire-crackers.

The body shown in Fig. 2 is substantially 2 etips shown in the form of a tube which is formed strip. This construction, which may be va= like a cylinder, with its longitudinal edges preferably abutting, but not overlapping.

In Figs. 3 and 4the second coil is dispensed with and the strip 1 is wound on the single and double cores 3 and 3 9 in a manner similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the direction of the coil being immaterial, and the coveringstrip Sis wound over the tube 2, so as to break joints therewith, as shown.

In Fig. 5 the body is formed similarly to that shown in Fig. 1, excepting that no core is used.

In Fig. 6 the completed fire-crackerbodyor shell may be made in accordance with either of the constructions shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and when so completed is provided with necks or chokes produced by an annular circumferential contraction forming the grooveslO, as more clearlyillustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the grooves being preferably located fully removed from the end of the body or shell, so as to leave cylindrical continuations 11 at the ends to strengthen the contractions and perfect the choke.

By preference material for the body or shell of the fire-crackers, as described, is made in long continuous lengths and cut off as desired for the properlength of the fire-cracker to be produced, by which means the expense of manufacturing is greatly reduced.

The charge 12 and stem 13 for the firecracker are placed within the core 3 or 3 9, or within the tube 2 when no such core is used, and in order to retain the charge and stem within the body of the fire-cracker the latter, near one or both ends, is contracted, as stated, into annular form to produce necks or chokes that con fine the charge 12 in the appropriate chamber 14 thus formed in the fire-cracker body. This contraction can be made while the body is wet or damp, and when dry it will set into the position into which it is wrought, and it is preferably continuous or symmetrical, as shown, to produce an equal compression or inward distention of the body.

The object of the'spira-l disposition of the various strips, folds, or layers (including the single or double core 3 9) of material out of which the body of thefire-cracker is made is not. only to facilitate the manufacture of the body or shell by enabling it to be made by machinery and in a continuous length or of a length of considerable extent, but it is also to provide the peculiar resisting and breaking or rupturing characteristics which will be developed when the contained charge of explosive is fired.

Thus far it will have been noted that the strips 1 and 5 of the shell and the coveringstrip 8, which run in reverse directions, are superposed one upon the other, the solid portion of the outer strip 5 overlapping or breaking joints with the meeting edges of the inner strip, the covering-strip 8 being likewise disposed, the split or separation in the core 3 or 9 being so correlated to the adjacent bod yried, as above recited, to a certain extent, weakens the body at the meeting edges of the respective strips or cores, allowing the explosive to disrupt the inner layer along the line of separation, while at the same time the super-posing of the solid portion of the outer coil (or core) over the meeting edges of the inner coil (or core) restrains this sudden disruption of the inner coil, (or core,) but not to the same extent as the disruption of the body or shell would be accomplished were the body made of convolute strips of paper, as in the old fire-cracker. In the latter case the action of the explosive is to find a weak and isolated spot in the body of the cracker and open it out or rend it at that point, whereas the action of the explosive in a fire-cracker constructed according to my invention is to disrupt the body throughout or substantially throughout its entire length and entirely demolish it, resulting in a more sharp and Violent action on the surrounding atmosphere and consequent sharper and more vigorous detonation. The more complete rending of the body is also of value, in that it allows of a more ready combustion of the debris if it is fired or distributes it more Widely. This particular action results from the spiral disposition of the coils composing the body of the cracker.

It will be clear that the action of the explosive on the body when interior cores are used will be practically the same, the abutting .edges weakening the body, and the opposed solid portions lending structural strength.

The circumferential contraction of the body of the cracker in order to form the choke is not new, broadly, I believe, as it has been previously employed to a partial extentin firecrackers of foreign make, wherein the body of the cracker has been formed by a convolute disposition of layers of material and a clay or other like plug used to form the choke, the partial circumferential contraction being formed by the strangulating action of a string which only partly surrounded the body, the special use of this partial contraction being for the purpose of retaining the clay or like plug in the end of the bore of the body to form the choke; but I believe that a circumferential contraction of the body is new with me in connection with a body for a firecracker formed of a single or of a plurality of spirally-disposed coils with or without the cores 3 9 and made in either of the ways recited in this specification, and that new and useful results flow from the application of this feature to my present invention. Furthermore, in the prior fire-cracker, so far as I can learn, the stem was choked or held in the body at one end only, the stem not passing through the body and held in the opposite choke, as it is in my preferred construction.

hen the body or shell is formed as recited, the circumferential contraction is had on a line transverse and oblique to the direction IIO of the strip or strips of material forming the tubes 2 7 of the body of the cracker, thereby localizing the points of greatest resistance at the contractions and accelerating the rupture of the intervening portion of the tube or body, as before described.

The grain of the material, if the paper can be said to have a grain, is generally disposed so that it can be most readily torn across its shortest diameter. here the before-reci ted partial circumferential choking has been employed in the prior manfacture of fire-crackers having a convolute disposition of mate'- rial, the contraction is parallel with the line on which the material is most readily torn, thereby providing but very little resisting power or efficiency in the choke. When the choke is formed in accordance with my invention, the line of contraction lies diagonally across the line upon which the material is most readily torn, resulting in much greater resisting power to the choke and strengthening it materially. If the grain of the material runs in the direction of its length, making it harder to tear transversely, the resistance is still further increased.

Vith myinvention the spiral disposition of the various strip or strips or strips and cores of material forming the body enables me to utilize the circumferential contraction for forming thechoke without interposing the prior clay or other form of plug, and to this end the material is contracted circumferentially, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, so as to bring the innermost layer of material at one end, as at A, completely on and to compress orcrowd the stem at that end of the body, the

' contraction of the upper or firing end B being formed so as to allow of the stem passing loosely therethrough, so as not to interfere with the firing, the lower or back choke being the one which is designed to give the greatest resistance to the expansion of the gases when the charge is exploded. The lower choke at A is also useful in that it prevents the stem being pulled out.

I do not limit my invention to the precise details of construction shown and described, as various modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. The body for a fire-cracker comprising a plurality of coils of suitable material one within the other and coiled in reverse directions and each coil having the same pitch so that one coil overlaps the joints of the other,

substantially as described.

2. A fire-cracker comprising a plurality of independent coils of suitable material separately wound one within the other, a combustible within said body, and a stem connected with said combustible, said body having a neck to retain the charge formed by a circumferential contraction of the body, substantially as described.

3. A fire-cracker having a body comprising a plurality of coils of suitable material one within the other and arranged so that one coil overlaps the joints of the other, an eX- plosive charge within the inner tube, a stem connected with said charge, and a choke to retain the charge and stem produced by an annular contraction formed in said body at or near its end, substantially as described.

4:. A fire-cracker having a body comprising a strip or band of suitable material spirally disposed or coiled to form a tube, an explosive charge within the tube, a stem connected with said charge, and a choke formed by the material of the body to retain said charge and stem, substantially as described.

5. A fire-cracker having a body comprising a strip or band of suitable material spirally disposed or coiled to form a tube, an explosive charge within the tube, a stem connected with said charge, and a choke to retain the charge and stem produced by an annular contraction formed in said body near its ends, substantially as described.

6. A fire-cracker having a tubular body of paper or other suitable material, an explosive charge within the body, a stem passing through the bore of the body and the charge, and a choke to retain the stem and charge in the body consistingof an annular contraction in the body impinging against the stem near both ends of the body, substantially as described.

Signed in the city, county, and State of New York this 26th day of January, 1898.

0 CHARLES L. CURTIS. 

